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OBJECTIVES: Tai Chi (TC) shows some beneficial effects in reducing pain in knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, the selection of criteria TC forms in previous studies were unclear and inconsistent, possibly accounting for the varying outcomes and rendering the training effects suboptimal. We have selected four optimal TC (OTC) forms based on the knee joint load and its association with pain. This pilot study sought to examine the effect of the OTC forms on reducing knee pain in individuals with knee OA. METHODS: Fifteen knee OA participants were recruited. Their knee joint pain level was rated by using the Visual Analogue Scale before and after two weeks of OTC training and compared between these two assessments. RESULTS: The two-week OTC training course was well accepted by our participants. The knee OA pain showed a significant reduction (median pain score: 5 ​cm before training and 1 ​cm post-training, Wilcoxon p ​

The article explores the linguistic characteristics and challenges faced by these languages, which belong to the Kra-Dai (Tai-Kadai) language family. Topics include the tonal structure and distribution of the Kra-Dai family, spoken by around 93 million people across regions like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and southwestern China.

Aim: This cross‐sectional study aims to identify the characteristic changes of prefrontal and motor areas during a tai chi chuan task in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and major depressive disorder (MDD) using wearable functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods: Three parallel groups (T2DM with DD group, T2DM group, and healthy group) were recruited from December 10, 2022, to May 31, 2023. Participants in three groups conducted a motor task of tai chi chuan designed by Eprime 3.0, and fNIRS was used to monitor the brain activation, functional connectivity (FC), and lateralization of prefrontal and motor areas. Correlation analyses were performed to examine the relationship between depressive symptoms and the function of prefrontal and motor areas. Results: Ninety elder adults (aged ≥ 60), including 30 patients with T2DM and MDD, 30 patients with T2DM, and 30 healthy subjects, were enrolled. In contrast with the patients with T2DM and healthy subjects, the patients with T2DM and MDD had decreased activation and abnormal lateralization in prefrontal and motor areas and decreased FC among supplementary motor area, motor area, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Furthermore, the oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) concentration value of DLPFC in patients with T2DM and MDD was negatively associated with scores of Hamilton Depression Scale‐24 (HAMD‐24). Conclusions: Patients with T2DM and MDD had characteristic functional changes in prefrontal and motor areas. DLPFC may be a potential target of diagnosis and intervention for patients with T2DM and MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Junping Zhu,1– 3 Ziyan Wang,4,5 Chengxin Liu,4,5 Min Shi,1,5 Zhihua Guo,1,4,5 Ya Li,2 Rong Yu,1,3 Jiaming Wei1,5 1School of Chinese Medical Sciences, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China; 3Hunan Key Laboratory of TCM Prescription and Syndromes Translational Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China; 4First Hospital and First Clinical College of Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of China; 5Hunan Key Laboratory of Colleges and Universities of Intelligent Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Preventive Treatment of Chronic Diseases of Hunan Universities of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jiaming Wei; Rong Yu, School of Chinese Medical Sciences, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, 300 Xueshi Road, Science & Technology Industrial Park, Yuelu District, Changsha, Hunan, 410208, People’s Republic of China, Email 004916@hnucm.edu.cn; 002165@hnucm.edu.cnBackground: Xin-Tong-Tai Granule (XTTG), a Chinese medicine (CM) formula, has demonstrated significant therapeutic effects on atherosclerosis (AS) in both clinical and experimental settings. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underlying XTTG’s efficacy remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms through which XTTG acts against AS, employing network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation techniques.Methods: Initially, target identification for the main chemical components of XTTG was conducted using database, followed by determining the intersection targets between these compounds and disease. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were subsequently utilized to investigate the potential pathways through which XTTG exerts its effects on AS. Molecular docking was done to confirm the binding efficacy of XTTG’s active components. Additionally, the effects of XTTG were evaluated in vitro using oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) induced human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HAVSMCs) and in vivo in apolipoprotein E gene knockout (ApoE−/−) mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD).Results: 229 therapeutic targets were screened for PPI network and enrichment analysis. Notably, the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, along with processes related to inflammation and autophagy, were significantly enriched, highlighting their importance. In vitro studies showed that XTTG repressed cell proliferation and lipid droplet aggregation in ox-LDL-induced HAVSMCs. It also decreased the ratio of phosphorylated NF-κB p65/ NF-κB p65, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and elevated microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) and decreased p62 protein expression. In vivo, XTTG ameliorated blood lipid profiles and aortic pathology in HFD-fed ApoE−/− mice, reduced NF-κB p65 expression and serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6, increased the ratio of LC3II/LC3I while decreasing p62 protein expression.Conclusion: XTTG mitigates AS primarily through anti-inflammatory and autophagy-modulating mechanisms, particularly via inhibition of NF-κB p65 expression. These findings underscore the potential of CM in treating AS and support its further clinical exploration. Keywords: Xin-Tong-Tai granule, atherosclerosis, network pharmacology, molecular docking, experimental verification

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Tai Chi and Qigong on patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods: Relevant data were retrieved from nine English and Chinese databases, including Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Wanfang Data, etc. from inception to June 2024. All published randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of Tai Chi and Qigong on visual analog scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and other health indicators in participants with LDH compared to usual medical care or other treatments were included. Grey literature, trials involving the pushing of hands (Tui Shou) or Tai Chi with weapons, and trials with co-interventions (Tai Chi/Qigong plus another treatment) were excluded. Methodological quality was analyzed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and evidence quality was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) tool. Results: Fourteen trials (954 patients) were included in this study. Tai Chi and Qigong were associated with lower VAS pain scores (standardized mean difference −0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.95 to −0.15, P = .01), higher JOA scores (mean difference [MD] 4.40, 95% CI 2.62 to 6.18, P

Abstract Background Tai Chi (TC) holds a unique and valued place in promoting the physical and mental health of college students. Its significance is underscored by its incorporation as a compulsory physical education course in every university in China. TC, with its rich tradition, places a strong emphasis on posture control as a core sports ability. However, the students in Tai Chi Elective Course (TCEC) have very poor posture control ability. This study protocol investigates the potential of Tan Tui (TT) to address these issues, as TT is a fundamental skill for beginners of traditional Chinese martial arts and has a track record of enhancing lower limb strength and balance, making it a promising choice for improving posture control in TCEC. Methods/design To investigate the impact of different intensities of TT exercises on posture control in TCEC students, we have designed a randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled trial. Seventy-six students in the TCEC will be randomly divided into low-intensity Tan Tui (LTT), medium-intensity Tan Tui (MTT), and high-intensity Tan Tui exercises group (HTT) and control group (CON), each with 19 people. The LTT group, MTT group, and HTT group will be given different intensity of TT exercises, and the CON group will be given regular TCEC. The intervention period will be 6 weeks (2 times a week, 20 min each time). At baseline (before), 4 weeks of intervention (middle), and 6 weeks of intervention (after), the Unipedal Stance Test (UST), the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), 60°/s angular velocity knee joint flexion and extension relative peak torque (RPT), and knee joint position perception (KJPP) will be evaluated. Discussion This is the first randomized controlled trial protocol from the perspective of training intensity to evaluate the effect of different intensity of TT exercises on posture control of students in TCEC. Should our research reveal a significant intervention effect, the results will offer preliminary, higher-quality evidence supporting the positive impact of varying intensities of Tan Tui exercises on posture control in TCEC students. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2000039109. Registered on October 17, 2020.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to assess the effect of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) on functional capacity (FC) and quality of life (QoL) in elderly men with low bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: This quasi-experimental, controlled blinded trial evaluated 41 senior men (≥ 60 years), divided into two groups: control group 1 – G1 (TCC; n = 20; 69.2 ± 6.2 years) and control group 2 – G2 (control; n = 21; 69.0 ± 5.7 years). The BMD (of lumbar spine and femur neck) was assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). FC was assessed for aerobic endurance, for upper and lower limbs strength and flexibility, for static, dynamic and functional balance testes, and for risk of falls. QoL was assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire (MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey). G1 practiced the 24-form Yang style of TCC, for 12 weeks twice a week on low intensity; G2 did not practice oriented physical activity. RESULTS: TCC practitioners had significantly higher scores for aerobic endurance, upper and lower limbs strength, and dynamic balance. In terms of QoL, values were significantly better in total score and aspects such as FC, general health, vitality, and mental health. DISCUSSION: TCC was proven beneficial to FC and QoL scores, which adds evidence for its practice by elderly men with low BMD. CONCLUSION: TCC training is effective in improving FC and QoL in elderly men with low BMD.

BackgroundFrailty is associated with poor outcomes among older adults with hypertension and complicates its pharmacological management. Here, we assessed whether 12-weeks of instructor-guided, group Tai Chi (TC) practice improved frailty relative to Healthy Aging Practice-centered Education (HAP-E) classes in older adults with hypertension.MethodsSecondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial in San Diego County, USA, of 167 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥ 60 yrs (70% female; 72.1 ± 7.5 yrs), defined as non-frail (66%) or frail (34%) based on 53-item deficit accumulation frailty index (FI). Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess pre-to-post intervention differences in FI and logistic regression to explore differential odds of clinically meaningful FI change.ResultsOne hundred thirty-one participants completed post-intervention assessments. Frailty decreased pre-to-post intervention in the TC (ΔFI = - 0.016, d = - 0.39, - 0.75 to - 0.03), but not the HAP-E arm (ΔFI = - 0.009, d = - 0.13, - 0.52-0.27), despite no significant group differences between the TC and HAP-E arms (d = - 0.11, - 0.46-0.23). Furthermore, greater odds of improved FI were observed for frail participants in the TC (OR = 3.84, 1.14-14.9), but not the HAP-E (OR = 1.34, 0.39-4.56) arm. Subgroup analysis indicated treatment effects in TC were attributed to frail participants (frail: ΔFI = - 0.035, d = - 0.68, -1.26 to - 0.08; non-frail: ΔFI = - 0.005, d = - 0.19, - 0.59-0.22), which was not the case in the HAP-E arm (frail: ΔFI = - 0.017, d = - 0.23, - 0.81-0.35; non-frail: ΔFI = - 0.003, d = - 0.07, - 0.47-0.33). Frail participants were no more likely to drop-out of the study than non-frail (71% vs. 69% retained).ConclusionsTwelve weeks of twice-weekly guided TC practice was well-tolerated, associated with decreases in frailty, and increased odds of clinically meaningful FI improvement at post-intervention.

Introduction: Cognitive decline is a significant, persistent issue among breast cancer survivors (BCSs) affecting more than 50% and greatly impacting health and wellbeing, particularly among those who are aging. Scalable, lifestyle interventions to mitigate cognitive decline in this population are needed. This study aimed to explore the effects of Tai Chi Easy (TCE) on perceived cognition function among older BCSs. Methods: The current work was part of a larger NCI-funded trial (R01CA182901, primary results reported elsewhere). Female BCSs, aged 45--75 years, were randomized to one of three conditions: two active interventions, Tai Chi Easy (TCE) or sham Qigong (SQG), or an education control group (EDC). In this exploratory analysis of older female participants (aged 60--75y), perceived cognitive function and performance and related factors (including anxiety, depression, and insomnia symptom severity) were examined. We anticipated TCE and SQG would show greater improvements in perceived cognitive function and performance compared to EDC. Results: A total of 75 female BCS were included in the analysis (TCE = 23; SQG = 22; EDC = 30). Linear mixed model results showed BCS randomized to TCE and SQG reported improvements in perceived cognitive impairment and cognition-related effects on quality of life relative to EDC (with small to medium effect sizes; Cohen's d = 0.46 and 0.76), whereas no results were found for cognitive performance measures. Relative to EDC, TCE did not exact changes in depression, anxiety, and insomnia symptom severity; however, SQG showed decreases in depression and insomnia symptom severity (with corresponding small to medium effect sizes, Cohen's d = -0.36 and -0.56). Discussion: Findings from the current exploratory study suggest that low-exertion, gentle exercise, with or without breath and meditative focus, may improve perceived cognitive function, and, that without breath and meditative focus, may improve depressed mood and insomnia symptoms among older BCS. These promising findings may have immediate and long-term implications on accessible treatment options recommended by geriatricians and oncologists treating older BCS at an elevated risk for cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The bone status of postmenopausal women is worsening. In fact, postmenopausal period is the high incidence stage of osteoporosis and falls. Notably, a recent study has pointed out that exercise can improve bone health in postmenopausal women. However, the effect of Tai Chi exercise on postmenopausal women is controversial. Therefore, a meta-analysis was designed to analyze the effect of Tai Chi exercise on bone health and fall prevention in postmenopausal women. Methods The researches on Tai Chi improving the bone health of postmenopausal women before August 31, 2023 were collected from Chinese and English databases, such as PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, etc. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. Besides, R software 4.3.1 was employed to analyze the effect sizes in the meta-analysis to summarize the impact of Tai Chi on vertebral bone mineral density, serum calcium, clinical balance scores, the number of falls, total falls, and health status scores in postmenopausal women. Results There were 12 studies eventually included in this meta-analysis. A total of 1,272 postmenopausal women were involved, including 628 in the experimental group (intervention with Tai Chi exercise) and 644 in the control group (without any intervention). Briefly, postmenopausal women practicing Tai Chi presented a significant increase in vertebral bone density [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.04–0.71), P = 0.03] and health status score [SMD = 0.25, 95% CI (0.01–0.49), P = 0.04]. In contrast, there were no significant differences for postmenopausal women between the two groups in terms of serum calcium [SMD = -0.01, 95% CI (-0.39, 0.36), P = 0.77], clinical balance [SMD = 0.17, 95% CI (-0.01, 0.46), P = 0.23], number of falls [SMD = -0.61, 95% CI (-1.24, 0.02), P = 0.06] and total falls [odds ratio = 0.35, 95% CI (0.11–1.12), P = 0.07]. Conclusion Tai Chi exercise can improve the bone mineral density of postmenopausal women, thereby maintaining bone health. Hence, Tai Chi exercise is necessary to prevent osteoporosis.

Background: Insomnia and depression are prevalent mental disorders that are often comorbid among older adults. Lifestyle intervention strategies incorporating Tai Chi or conventional exercise have been shown to alleviate symptoms of insomnia and depression. However, the comparative efficacy of these exercise modalities in individuals with both disorders has yet to be determined. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the efficacy of Tai Chi and conventional exercise for reducing depressive symptoms in older adults with chronic insomnia and depressive symptoms, when compared to a health education control. Methods: This study is a prospective, assessor-blinded, three-arm, parallel group, randomized controlled trial. Older adults aged ≥60 years with a diagnosis of chronic insomnia and depressive symptoms will be randomly assigned to a Tai Chi, conventional exercise or health education control condition on a 1:1:1 basis. Interventions will last for 3 months, with a 6-month follow-up period. The primary outcome is depressive symptoms, assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Secondary outcomes include subjective sleep quality, 7-day actigraphy, 7-day sleep diary, anxiety symptoms, quality of life, medication usage and physical function. All measurements will be conducted at baseline, 3 months and 9 months by outcome assessors who are blinded to group allocation. Discussion: This study will compare the efficacy of Tai Chi and conventional exercise in improving depression outcomes in older adults with chronic insomnia and depressive symptoms. Our results will shed light on the clinical potential of these interventions for combating insomnia and depression in older adults.